Hydraulic turpine



Gl A. BIGGs INVENTOR.

GEORGE A. 8166s ATTORNEY.

July 45, 1932. G. A; BlGGs 1,855,502

v HYDRAULIC TURBINE Filed Hay 24. 1929 3 Sheets-$11961'r 2 FIGA g INVENTOR.

GEORGE A. 8166s BY I ATT ORNEY July 5, l1932?. G. A. Bic-:Gs

HYDRAULI TURBIHE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Hay 24, 1929 meme my s; 1932 ernennt-.re

sperme@ sies issy se.

rlhis invention relates to hydraulic turbines.

lt is en object of my invention to provide e hydreuiic turbine or rotary pump for use in connection with any kind of uid.

it is en object to provide e low cost, high eiiiciency mechanism eliminating movable gates, controlling speed and power output by udiustinent of the runner venes and introducing drivin iiuid vertically rather then from the sides or radially of the turbine anis. l,

I 1t is s. turther object to reduce the cleerence space between the guide venes and the iss runner venes.

4lit is en edditionel object to control the speed of the turbine with e governor without the use ornove-ble gutes.

ilt is an object to provide e turbine which een be instelied through such a limited hole in the power houseiioor that a special expensive bese for the generator will not be necessary.

is e further object to provide a turbine which will not be adected in a detrimental ry by `irregular' vcurrents of luid in the ntrel part of the draft tube. it is e further object to provide a turbine herring n one-piece runner hub.

it is a further object to provide 9. turbine in which the axes of the movable runner venes aire disposed at an :inglel to the exis of the turbine in such amanner that the intersectien oi the axes of the `venes 'and the titi outer ends of the venes are et e higher elevetion .than the' intersection of the vvane axes und the turbine Aexis. 'i

f ltfis4 my objectfto provide eturbine kin whichthe `inner orjworkingsurface of the it@ outgr Guide cservellis tn ent to the ywell e 4g,

, n isle. rurrherebjeet @e provides turbine nienichhilid @lib Cllfff by dosing ythirunervnes; thereby eliminating' gates.

lt isv an objetto' provide a` turbine in Ferial No. @$5,656.

which the iiuid is projected against the runner venes in e constant direction regardless of power or speed which the turbine producs.d d scri e en claimed in m co endin a licstion Ser. No. 423,314. y p g pp Referring to the drswin Fig. 1 is e section througsone half of the supporting foundation, draft tube end turbine runner;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the control levers, yoke and control rods;

Fig. diss plein view of parts of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4i is u perspective of the runner shaft;

Fig. 5 is e. perspective of the internal shaft;

Fig. 6 is s plan view ci the oke collar;

Fig. is e. section on the line )iL-7 of Fig. 1, showing the rack and cogs on the stem of e runner vene;

Fig. 8 is s section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1 through the guide, runner und draft tube venes;

Fig. 9 is e section through the draft tube und internal core tube showing the relationship of theparts. This section is taken yon line 9-9 oFig. 1.

Figure 10 is e section on the line 10-10 of Figure 1 Figure 11 is a section on the line 11-11 of Figure 10. Figure 12 is e section on the line 12h-12j of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings 1n detil, 1 is 'the iioorof the power house 2. Over an opening 3 in the door 1 is mounted a. generatori Connected to thegenerator lshaft '5 by the bolts 6 is the runner shaft?. i This shaftvas wili be seen in Fig.l 4.# is closed atits' upper end `where it is provided with a ange for :ittachin it to the generator shaft. vIt is 'provide y.with an internal tubular passa'llge# wey 8 rvund a1 transverse passageway 9. he lower end'of the 'runner shaft is provided with o. Hang? 10 having apertures 11 for receiving the olts12 or'attaching thereto the runnerhub of onepiece; designated 13. The

The impeller described herein is delower end of this hub is ol'set inwardly, as

at 14, within the central core tube `that is mounted upon the concrete core 16 forming the inner wall of a passageway for fluid 5 the outer wall of which is formed on the lower portion by the draft tube 17 and in the upper portion by the guide vane ring 18 and the foundation 19.

Referring to the runner shaft, it will be noted that a transverse in 20 is carried on the internal shaft 21. e internal shaft 21 fits within the passageway 8 in the runner shaft 7 and transverse in 20 within the slot 9 of runner shaft 7. ,'lPhe pin 20 is adapted l5 to move up and down within the slot 9. The exterior ends of pin 20 are attachedv to the collar 22a ywhich with the rino` 225, form a groove for the yoke ring 22 and slides on the outside of the runner shaft and is caused to do so-by the yoke 23 whose arms have slots to receive pins on the yoke ring. This yoke 23 is carried on the shaft 24 which is journaled at 25 in a recess 26 of the foundation 19. The oke itself is located within the chamber 2 formed by the yoke casing 28. The shaft 24 is journaled at its yoke end at 29 in the casing. A pipe 30 communicates to this casing and extends upwardly to a point convenient to the power house operator so that lubricant can be introduced into the chamber 27. This lubricant serves to lubricate the bearing sleeves 31 surrounding the runner shaft and supported by .bolts 32 upon an annular collar 33 which also supports the housing 28. The lower edge of this collar 33 rests upon its inner guide vane ring 34 which supports it and the outer guide vane rin 18 to stationary guide vanes 35.

e hub 13 is suspended in spaced relationship with re ct to the inner guide vane ring 34. The lubricant introduced to the passageway also asses through the passa eways 9 and 8 into t e chamber 36 withm the ub 13 permitting the lubrication of the parts which are connected-to the runner blades 37 that are pivotal] mounted within the hub 13 and which are a justed by the movement of inner shaft 21.

This inner shaft 21 is rovided with ears 38 so to which are pivoted lin 39 the free ends of which are ivoted at 40,' the racks 41 engaging with t e teeth of a mutilated gear 42 formed on the hub 43 of shaft 44 of the buckets 37. The axes of the buckets, designated 85 45, make an acute angle with the runner axis, such an acute angle being above the axes 45 and between it and the runner axis. The

outer ends of the buckets 45 as at 46 are spaced an equidistant amount from the inner face of the outer guide ring that a'res out-V wardly at this point. This ring is supported on a collar 47 to which is attached the draft' tube 17.

'The hub 13 is provided with a central chamber 48 inA which the shaft 21 reciprocates. This chamber is closed by a screw plug 49 which lis located within the wall 15. Between the walls 15 and 17 are draft tube vanes 50.

The line of water How is substantially indicated by the line 51-51. The tail waters are designated 52.

Oomrol of r11/eher 'vane position l Method of operation By the elimination of the gates, I eliminate the danger of damage which prevails dueto rubbish or other foreign material becoming lodged between the gates when closing. l further provide when operating my turbine for a bladeless space between the guides and runner vanes and eliminate the former 90 turn of duid. I provide a turbine in which the iiuid is projected against the runner vanes in a constant direction irrespective of power or speed which the turbine produces. In operatlon my movable vanes are so disposed that their axes are at right angles to the line of flow of fluid where it crosses the axes. Thus my mechanism is adapted to either high speed or low speed conditions.

With this understanding, assuming that the turbine is standing still and the runner vanes are closed, with the head water level as indicated, I am ready to put my turbine into operation. I raise the control rod 53 which allows the water to iow through the turbine. The water asses between the stationary guides 35 causing the turbine to move. The speed of rotation of the power can be increased or decreased by admitting more or less water according to the position of the runner vanes.

The result of this arrangement is that I have eliminated one of the most ex ensive parts of the existing turbine, that is, t e ate case. The elimination of such a case an associate mechanism with the gates, of which there are from 16 to 20, usually eliminates some 35 separate castings, 16 to 20 pivot bolts, 32 to 40 ins and numerous other parts vtother wlth their-attendant labor of assemling and fittin All vmovable parts associated with the lformer gates are eliminated. I use the runner vanes to close oil' the water 1n lplace of using the gates for that pur ose.

gain, by eliminating the 90 turn of uid, 1&0

it is possible to obtain the most favorable hydraulic conditions within the runner at low stages of power which were heretofore impossible. the water to rotate in a ring around the outer circumference of the runner chamber and within the runner itself, leaving the water in the central part of the runner in a state of commotion which reduces the eiliciency. By

my invention this difficulty is obviatefl by actually directing the flow of water over the entire area of runner vanes, evenly at all stages of power, thereby avoiding a commotion or turbulence of the water in the central part. lt will be noted that the line of flow 51-51 of the water variesvery little in direction which is favorable to higher efficiency. As the wall adjacent the tips of buckets 46 is tangent to the wall of the draft tube, there is avoided any change in direction. The transition space between the discharge ends of the guides 35 and'theentrance edges of the runner vanes 37 is reduced so that there is a minimum change in direction of vflow within this space. By making the axes of the runner vanes 3'? inclined as at 4 5, the water is discharged from the draft tube 17 in the direction in which its course through the draft tube' is to continue so that noeuergy is lost through change in the direction of flow. K

By provision of lubrication through the pipe 30 all the parts are lubricated from a single source.

lt will be noted that the entire structure can be inserted through the hole 3 in the `power house cor 1, which can be easily spanned by the usual generator i without providing the customary enlarged base for the generator. By using a 4small diameter guide case and by admitting the water to the turbine from above instead of from around ttl the sides, the walls of the housing can be set closer to the turbine which results in a small and less expensive housing. will be noted that ll have provided a concrete core 16 and a tube 15 surrounding it. The purposesV of this structure is to fill the space that is ordinarily occupied by irregular, disturbing currents which have a tendency to impede the flow of water through the draft tube. By lilling the space ordinarily occupied by such currents l am able to gain greater efficienc 9 as the remaining flow of fiuid is not distur ed.

llt will be understood that l desire to comprehend within my invention and within the scope of my claims such modifications as may be fairly comprehended within such claims and invention due to necessary modifications to adapt my invention to varying conditions of use and to varying urposes.

l-laving thus fully escribed my invention, what l claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

I have eliminated the tendency of l. In combination in a gateless hydraulic turbine, a'runner, a plurality of adjustable buckets, a plurality of superimposed superior stationary guide vanes, a plurality of inferior stationary draft tube vanes, outer l and inner guide vane ringsfor supporting the superior vanes, the inner ring being supported by the outer ring, a draft tube for supporting the inferior vanes and a core t'ube adapted to support the inner end of said inferior vanes.

2. ln combination in a gateless hydraulic.l

turbine having an axial fluid flow, a runner with adjustable buckets, a plurality of superior guide vanes, inner and outer uide rings for said vanes, said blades and lnner ring b cing supported by the outer ring, said outer ring being adjacent to the ends of the runner ner and outer guide rings supporting saidl vanes forming an arcuate, downwardly and outwardly disposed wall forming a passageway, a runner having a lurality of adjust able buckets located within said arcuate passageway at right angles to' the line of flow of fluid therethrough and to the downwardly and outwardly disposed wall, a draft tube below lsaid buckets and guide vanes in said draft tube.

fl. ln combination, in a'hydraulic turbine, a runner shaft, a one-piece runner hub, 'a casing around said shaft, an inner guide ring between said casing and said runner hub, an outer guide ring, guide vanes stationarily stationed therebetween, a plurality of adjustable buclrets carried by said hub at right angles to the duid flow beneath said guide venes, a draft tube, a core tube, theupper end of which surrounds said hub at its lower end and guide vanes between said tubes below said buckets.

5. ln combination, in a hydraulic turbine runner, a cylindrical core located centrally.

llll

core adjacent said runner and buckets interposed in the space through which fluid flows into the area between said core tube and draft tube.

6. In combination, in hydraulic turbine, a verticall disposed runner shaft and hub, a core disposed directly thereunder, a draft tube and foundation forming a vertical chamber surrounding said runner and its hub and'forming a vertical passage for fluid and adjustable buckets interposed at right angles through the flow of fluid therethrough.

7. Iii combination, in a hydraulic turbine, a. vertically 'disposed runner shaft and hub, a core disposed directly thereunder, a draft tube and foundation forming a vertical chainber surrounding said runner and it-1 hub and forming a vertical passage for fluid and adjustable buckets interposed at right angles through the flow of fluid therethrough and means for adjusting said buckets to close off the passage of fluid therethrough.

8. In combination, a hollow runner shaft, a hollow hub. 'a plurality of rotatable buckets mounted thereon, an internally dispose-d reeiprocator operating said shaft connected to said buckets, a' transverse shaft mounted thereon, a collar connected thereto, a station# ary y oke adapted to move said collar vertically on the runner shaft, remote means for actuating said yoke, a stationary'casing enclosing said runner shaft and said yoke, an inner guide ring supporting said casing, an. outer guide ring mounted on a foundation and guide vanes connecting said ring above said runner buckets.

9. .In combination, a hollow runner shaft, a hollow hub, a plurality of rotatable buckets mounted thereon, an internally disposed rcciprocator operating said shaft connected to said buckets, a transverse shaft mounted thereon, a collar connected thereto, a stationary yoke adapted to move said collar vertically on the runner shaft, remote means for actuating said yoke,.a stationary casing enclosing -said runner shaft and said yoke, an inner guide ring supporting said casing, an outer guide ring mounted on a. foundation, guide vanes connecting said ring above said runner buckets, a draft tube and a plurality of draft tube vanes below said buckets.

y l0. In combination, in a hydraulic turbine, a runner shaft and hub, a core tube beneath the hub and surrounding part of the hub, a draft tube forming a vertical chamber surrounding said shaft and hub and forming a vertical passage for fluid, and adjustable buckets on said hub at right angles to the flow of water through the chamber. l

11. In combination, in a hydraulic turbine, a foundation forming a draft tube and vertical chamber, a runner in said chamber having a hub thereon, a core tube beneath the hub and surrounding apart thereof, and buckets on said hub extending at right angles to the flow of Water through the chamber.

12. In combination, in a hydraulic turbine, a runner shaft and hub, a core tube beneath the hub and surrounding part of the hub, a draft tube forming a vertical passage for water, and Vanes, each attached at -one end to the core tube and at draft tube.

' 13. In combination, in a hydraulic turbine,

4the other end t'o the a runner shaft and hub, a core tube beneath the hub and surrounding part thereof, a draft tube forming a vertical water passage around the hub, and stationary vanes between the two tubes.

14.A In combination, a vertical passageway, a plurality of stationary guide vanesI located in said passageway, a plurality of runner blades, said blades having overlapping radial edges said edges being of the same shape so that the radial edges of said blades will overlap each other in closed position and each forward edge of one 'blade will be Substantially in contact with the trailing edge of another blade, and a single means for ,cutting ofi' the flow of fluid through said passageway or regulating the speed of rotation of said runner blades.

15. lIn combination, in ahydraulic turbine, a vertical passageway for the passage of fluids. a runner located in said passageway including a plurality of blades and a plurality o-f vanes all located entirely within the cylindrical plane defined by said Vertical passageway and a single operating means for cutting off the flow of fluid through said passageway, or regulating the speed of rotatio'n of said runner blades including mecha nis'xn for adjustment of the angle of the runner blades.

16. In combination, in a. hydraulic turbine, a vertical passageway for the passage of fluids, a runner located in said passageway including a plurality of blades a plurality of guide vanes all located entirely within said passageway, and a single operating means for cutting off the` flow of fluids in said passageway, or regulating the speed of rotation of said runner blades including mechanism for adjustment of said ruimer blades to greater or less overlapping 'if said blades.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

GEORGE A. BIGGS. 

